What have you done to your Mazda5 today?
- Thread starter Rockin03mp5
- Start date
- :
- 2013 Mazda 5 Sport
Yes, the pads still had something left in them, but after 9 New England winters, the brakes needed some attention. I would have loved to have enough time to clean everything and paint the calipers, but that will be something for another day
My wife finally relinquished the Mazda back to me. Heavy cleaned out all the kid stuff (thinking it might be her and not the kids). Wiped and scrubbed the interior for the first pass - will need a few more to get it the way I want. In the last month:
All the brake pads
Rear discs
Rebuilt all 4 calipers - right rear was dragging
Replaced the brake lines (were my culprit for low brake pedal - see the saga below)
On a mechanic’s recommendation replaced the master cylinder and sent out the ABS module for testing and possible rebuilding - it tested just fine.
Replaced the water outlet - the seat holding the gasket broke which started all of this.
Still to do:
Front struts - strut mount is partially broken - not affecting ride but rattles
Passenger side front axle is leaking - not clicking yet though.
Deep cleaning of seats - probably need to get seat covers…
All the brake pads
Rear discs
Rebuilt all 4 calipers - right rear was dragging
Replaced the brake lines (were my culprit for low brake pedal - see the saga below)
On a mechanic’s recommendation replaced the master cylinder and sent out the ABS module for testing and possible rebuilding - it tested just fine.
Replaced the water outlet - the seat holding the gasket broke which started all of this.
Still to do:
Front struts - strut mount is partially broken - not affecting ride but rattles
Passenger side front axle is leaking - not clicking yet though.
Deep cleaning of seats - probably need to get seat covers…
Ok - front struts done this morning - got yelled at for making too much noise and waking the kids up. 
. So while swapping the right side the stabilizer linkage was bad. So now the rattling that was coming from the right side is now gone, finally.
So now the question is still what to do about the right front axle. Get a used and rebuild it or buy a reman? (Will post separately).
. So while swapping the right side the stabilizer linkage was bad. So now the rattling that was coming from the right side is now gone, finally. So now the question is still what to do about the right front axle. Get a used and rebuild it or buy a reman? (Will post separately).
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- South Carolina
- :
- 12 MZ5 13 CX-5
I have a build on what I did in our Mazda5. The van definitely has potential to sound really good. Sound deadening is an absolute requirement though. Even if you just do that, makes the ride oh so much more comfortable.
Oh I’ve been reading and trying not to go crazy.
If I start sound deadening it will be in conjunction with a budget system. The better half has me on a strict budget - so if you have any recommendations - wink wink nudge nudge.
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- South Carolina
- :
- 12 MZ5 13 CX-5
I used Dayton Audio speakers and DSP from Parts Express. Very, very budget friendly, with an absolutely terrific performance! Bang for the buck winners, for sure!
For a HU and amps, I went with a double din Kenwood with Android Auto that I got used from eBay for under $200, and my Kenwood amps, also from eBay, $120 each.
Wire is 4 gauge OFC welding wire that I got from Wire and Supply. I found that the quality of most "car audio" branded wiring is suspect, and the the stuff that's actually good costs about 5x as much as what the same thing from a welding supply house costs. The supply house wiring just doesn't have the fancy name on it.
Pick speakers based primarily on efficiency/sensitivity (as high as possible). High sensitivity means less need for amp wattage, giving you more freedom to save money on the power amp – or allowing you to omit the amp entirely and just run everything off the head unit.
Woo hoo!! First post...
LOTS of stories to tell, but I'll start with the most recent...
(Background: I am a backyard mechanic who cut my teeth on mostly 70s-era GMs. In adult life, have had mostly leases, bought the 5 as a money-saver...purchased from a friend for $400 with a "mystery rattle" in the right rear and an intermittent tranny issue (something electric with the A and B solenoids....those were the issues I knew going in. Anyhoo...)
Did back brakes yesterday. Brake job proper was very easy, no issues. Along the way, however, I ended up having both caliper pins on the driver side sheared off inside the mounting bracket. Called in a friend who is always down for a challenge (especially at 8 pm on a Friday before a holiday...)
Took about an hour to get the broken pieces out of the blind holes, after about 3 hours calling my buddy, who couldn't drive b/c he had a date with Mary Jane, calling my wife to bring the other car up (fortunately I have access to my workplace with a warm and dry warehouse), acquiring left-hand drill bits and extractors from Harbor Freight, dropping my wife home at home, dealing with a mini-flood in our basement, which I discovered while looking for my tap and die set (old house plus possibly cracked toilet plus basement window being open (no wonder it was cold down there last week!)...still not sure of the cause or extent of the flooding, because that was not my most pressing issue, LMFAO!!)
So, long story short (too late!), the brakes are done, and no more rattle! I knew it was a loose inboard brake pad, but was not too worried since it is captive...
Why, you might ask, was it rattling? Funny story! When I took everything apart, both outboard pads were installed on the passenger side, and both inboard pads on the driver side. No anti-rattle springs on any of them (the ones that go in the top cutout of the inboard pad)...seems my friend did a brake job sometime previous. <SARCASM> I wonder how those caliper pins got sheared off? </SARCASM> Listed torque spec on those is 21 ft lbs, and that ain't much! (New bolts: $10. Easy-outs: $20. A good torque wrench: Priceless!!)
So yeah, lots more stories where that came from, like the radiator that was replaced because it was too hard to take a key off the key ring (another friend; really, they have many redeeming qualities!)
Going back work to clean up and put tools away--just left everything at 1am. Then about 4 hours of work work (so I can keep my job with the fringe benefits!) , flood remediation, and then ring in the New Year!!
Glad to be in a place where everybody knows your name and/or diifficulty at parts stores...("NO!! Not an MX-5, OR a CX-5...*JUST* a 5!!")
R.
LOTS of stories to tell, but I'll start with the most recent...
(Background: I am a backyard mechanic who cut my teeth on mostly 70s-era GMs. In adult life, have had mostly leases, bought the 5 as a money-saver...purchased from a friend for $400 with a "mystery rattle" in the right rear and an intermittent tranny issue (something electric with the A and B solenoids....those were the issues I knew going in. Anyhoo...)
Did back brakes yesterday. Brake job proper was very easy, no issues. Along the way, however, I ended up having both caliper pins on the driver side sheared off inside the mounting bracket. Called in a friend who is always down for a challenge (especially at 8 pm on a Friday before a holiday...)
Took about an hour to get the broken pieces out of the blind holes, after about 3 hours calling my buddy, who couldn't drive b/c he had a date with Mary Jane, calling my wife to bring the other car up (fortunately I have access to my workplace with a warm and dry warehouse), acquiring left-hand drill bits and extractors from Harbor Freight, dropping my wife home at home, dealing with a mini-flood in our basement, which I discovered while looking for my tap and die set (old house plus possibly cracked toilet plus basement window being open (no wonder it was cold down there last week!)...still not sure of the cause or extent of the flooding, because that was not my most pressing issue, LMFAO!!)
So, long story short (too late!), the brakes are done, and no more rattle! I knew it was a loose inboard brake pad, but was not too worried since it is captive...
Why, you might ask, was it rattling? Funny story! When I took everything apart, both outboard pads were installed on the passenger side, and both inboard pads on the driver side. No anti-rattle springs on any of them (the ones that go in the top cutout of the inboard pad)...seems my friend did a brake job sometime previous. <SARCASM> I wonder how those caliper pins got sheared off? </SARCASM> Listed torque spec on those is 21 ft lbs, and that ain't much! (New bolts: $10. Easy-outs: $20. A good torque wrench: Priceless!!)
So yeah, lots more stories where that came from, like the radiator that was replaced because it was too hard to take a key off the key ring (another friend; really, they have many redeeming qualities!)
Going back work to clean up and put tools away--just left everything at 1am. Then about 4 hours of work work (so I can keep my job with the fringe benefits!) , flood remediation, and then ring in the New Year!!
Glad to be in a place where everybody knows your name and/or diifficulty at parts stores...("NO!! Not an MX-5, OR a CX-5...*JUST* a 5!!")
R.
Detroit Axle. Cheap!Ok - front struts done this morning - got yelled at for making too much noise and waking the kids up.
So now the question is still what to do about the right front axle. Get a used and rebuild it or buy a reman? (Will post separately).
Yeah, a bit dim back there, isn't it?
I took out a rear seat! I’m converting my Mazda5 so I can go car camping.Every other section has a thread like this.
It is about time that the Mazda5 has one too!
Post here about all of the things you have done to, and with your Mazda5. Whether it be a wash, new wheels, getting the groceries (wiggle) or just driving around town. There are so many things that Mazda's multi-utility vehicle can do!
I washed her and cleaned her inside and out. Ooooh shiny!
Getting her all ready for road trip #4 this weekend! Almost half of the miles we have put on her have been from road trips. She has always been a very comfortable touring vehicle.
I got from AliExpress new sockets for front blinkers little while ago.
So now I can use #1157 bulb.
So I made US-blinker mod.
Now the amber lights up same time as normal parking light.
Normal to you US people, mod for us in european market.
I also installed relay in fuse box, so now I have front fogs as DRL's
So now I can use #1157 bulb.
So I made US-blinker mod.
Now the amber lights up same time as normal parking light.
Normal to you US people, mod for us in european market.
I also installed relay in fuse box, so now I have front fogs as DRL's
Finally success for me! I founded instructions/wiring diagram for four relays to use high beam bulbs as DRL's.
With those relays bulbs are in series when DRL, so half the voltage.
And in normal situation they are parallel, so they get normal voltage and are bright.
I installed relay pack near to fuse box, on the airfilter box wall.
Hard to take pics from lights.
With those relays bulbs are in series when DRL, so half the voltage.
And in normal situation they are parallel, so they get normal voltage and are bright.
I installed relay pack near to fuse box, on the airfilter box wall.
Hard to take pics from lights.
